The present invention relates generally to tillers, and more particularly to a novel and improved rotary tiller adapted for tilling soil between plants in a row and other areas normally difficult to reach.
Cultivating or tilling the ground between plants in a row to control weed growth is desirable for optimum plant growth and good husbandry. In the past, such tilling between plants in a row was accomplished by manual labor, such as with the use of hoes. The cost of manual labor and the vastly increased sizes of crops and trees planted in rows in modern times as well as the desire for more convenience resulting has rendered manual labor for such tasks obsolete. Tilling the area between adjacent rows is easily accomplished mechanically with machines or cultivators mounted on tractors and the like. However, such conventional machines are usually not effective for tilling the area between plants in a row because the machines are too large and cumbersome to steer into and out of the typically limited space between the plants in a row without disturbing the plants. Consequently, a number of tiller machines have been devised for mounting on mobile vehicles such as tractors and adapted for moving into and out of the space between plants in a row in order to accommodate tilling the ground between the plants in a row while the tractor continues on a substantially straight course parallel to the row. The following patents disclose examples of such devices: U.S. Letters Pat. Nos. 2,664,802 issued to I. Myer; 2,718,836 issued to E. P. Pertics et al; 2,764,077 issued to E. P. Pertics et al; 3,117,632 issued to V. G. Caggiano, Jr.; 3,138,208 issued to S. G. Simms; and 3,913,681 issued to W. D. Lincoln et al. All of these prior art patents disclose rotary tiller machines mounted on tractors and include some mechanism for moving the tiller laterally in relation to the tractor into and out of the area between the plants in a row. While all of these devices have enjoyed various degrees of success in effectively tilling the area between plants in a row, there are still a number of drawbacks associated with them. For example, the prior art devices typically include complicated mechanically or hydraulically controlled apparatus for extending and retracting the tiller into and out of the row. Some also lack sufficient effective depth control to accommodate smooth operation, particularly over varying terrain or soil and weed conditions, and they are not usable for reaching and tilling other typically difficult to reach areas such as fence corners, rear buildings, between protruding objects, and the like.
During the past several years, small versatile vehicles known as "skid turn" vehicles have been developed and have become increasingly popular for use primarily as front end loader vehicles. These vehicles are characterized by quick, pivotal steering manueverability accomplished by the rather unconventional manner of steering by slowing, stopping or reversing the rotation of drive wheels on one side of the vehicle in relation to the wheels on the opposite side. The applicant of this invention discovered the feasibility potential of such skid turn vehicles for cultivating or tilling between plants in a row with appropriate accessory equipment therefor.